Product Description

Quite simply the cutting edge in digital piano technology, the Roland V-Piano approaches sound synthesis in a radically new way and achieves an unprecedented sonic realism. Because the V-Piano generates sound based on physically modeled, virtual piano components, its sound engine is capable of delivering lifelike tone, response, and timbral flexibility to degrees never before imagined. If you need the portability and versatility that digital synthesis provides, but absolutely cannot sacrifice sound quality, you've got a problem that the Roland V-Piano was designed to solve.

What Is Project Genesis?
Most digital pianos attempt to recreate the sound of a real piano by knitting together sampled single-note snippets from a recording session, but the Roland V-Piano starts from scratch. By employing Roland's celebrated COSM, or Component Object Sound Modeling engine, the V-Piano generates a dynamic, responsive, digital model of every integral part of an acoustic instrument, from the soundboard wood to the design of the hammers to the age and metallurgy of the strings. Because the COSM process doesn't rely on piecing together a collage of snapshots, there are no sonic gaps to fill in, no discrepancies in tone when switching from fortissimo to pianissimo, and long, natural note decay that's never hindered by sample length. The difference between multi-sampled instruments and the Roland V-Piano is akin to the difference between stop-motion animation and today's cutting edge CGI special effects. Or, if you like, the difference between imitating life and creating it at the genetic level. If it sounds labor-intensive, it is, and that's why the V-Piano concept wasn't practically executable until recently. Now that the technology is available, Roland is able to offer you a complete, mechanical, physically-modeled piano that exists completely in the virtual realm. Until you sit down to play it, that is.

An Authentic Playing Experience
The V-Piano not only sounds more realistic than a standard digital piano, but it's more responsive, thanks to the pairing of this "living" piano sound engine with the Roland Progressive Hammer Action (PHA)-III Ivory Feel Keyboard. Chances are, if you're considering this instrument, you know what it feels like to play a real piano. And if you know what it feels like to play a real piano, then you know what it feels like to play the Roland V-Piano. The 88 Ivory Feel keys emulate the texture of expensive ivory and ebony, even though they're crafted from ecologically sensitive materials (that's progressive design thinking). The action is every bit as authentic, reproducing every detail of a piano's mechanical movement, right down to the subtle sensation of the hammer mechanism being released from the depressed key (a.k.a. "escapement"). The half-damper, half-soft, and assignable Sostenuto pedals further enhance and complete the playing experience.

The Spark Of Creation
Because the COSM engine recreates piano sounds at a mechanical level, these sounds can be edited at the mechanical level for incomparable customization. Change string material, hammer type, soundboard wood, piano length, and more. Place your inventions in one of twelve different spaces, each with its own unique ambience. With 128-note polyphony and a maximum of 264 simultaneous virtual string models, every piano you create, no matter how fanciful, will be a playable, responsive instrument. The V-Piano comes pre-loaded with 24 preset tones, plus 100 empty spaces for you to store your own custom pianos. All this editing power is easily accessible thanks to an intuitive graphical interface and a logical control layout.

A Throughly Professional instrument
The V-Piano wasn't built so that cloistered music academics could deconstruct and discuss it, it was made to be heard by millions of music lovers around the world. It's designed to be a rugged, tour-ready instrument with features that any gigging professional needs. Features like dual stereo XLR outputs for balanced and secure connections to the house PA, balanced 1/4-inch outputs to deliver the best signal to your amplifier, and a digital coaxial connection for pristine live and studio recording. A panel lock function ensures you never switch sounds pr presets in the middle of performance without intending to. There's comprehensive MIDI routing for integrating the V-Piano into your multiple-synth-rig, making it a phenomenal controller keyboard.

Product Description

Since 1972, Roland has pioneered many groundbreaking technologies and "world's first" products. In recent decades, no family of Roland instruments has won more respect and acclaim than the revolutionary "V" series: V-Accordion(R), V-Bass, V-Drums(R), V-Guitar, and V-Synth(R). Today, Roland proudly announces the next chapter in the V legacy... the V-Piano. Throw away all preconceived notions of what a digital piano was and is. This instrument changes everything.

Features
Revolutionary "living" piano core that breaks the digital-sampling barrier in a stand-alone instrument

Breaking Barriers
The V-Piano soars above the limitations of past technologies with its revolutionary "living" piano core, allowing every note to respond and evolve naturally, seamlessly, and perfectly without requiring samples. With the V-Piano, there is no velocity switching, and it provides a smooth, natural decay that must be heard to be believed.

Create Your Dream Collection
With the V-Piano, you can choose from beautifully crafted vintage grand-piano presets or you can create your own custom dream collection. Vary the hardness of the virtual hammer felts. Experiment with exotic string configurations and tunings. Put a world-famous grand under your fingertips or play a futuristic piano that has never been heard before.

New PHA-III Ivory Feel Keyboard
Even the most demanding pianist will appreciate the V-Piano's new PHA-III Ivory Feel keyboard with Escapement. This advanced keyboard technology reproduces the real feel of ivory for the natural keys and ebony for the sharps, and provides a true grand-piano touch and response. Even the subtle click feel when the "hammer" is released from the key (escapement) is reproduced.

Friendly Complexity
High technology doesn't have to equate to high complexity for the pianist. With its clean control panel and logically designed user interface, the V-Piano is amazingly fast and friendly to navigate. Even deep-level editing is easy to access and understand. You'll be customizing and creating new sounds within minutes of first touching the instrument.

Sound:
Very expressive piano sounds and completely configurable to the nth degree. There is more "organic feel" to this piano than nearly any other on the market, due to it being modeled rather than sampled.
Feature:
Excellent but be aware this only does one thing, models an acoustic piano. No other instrument sounds if that's what you need.
Ease of Use:
Set it up and it is done. Adjusting piano patches is straightforward.
Quality:
Solid piano and stand. Not portable, really. Too heavy for most traveling musicians. Requires two people to carry. Good for home use.
Value:
Worth the premium over standard digital pianos, and less expensive but easily as good or better than competitor modeled or hybrid pianos.
Manufacturer Support:
Roland has always had very good customer support.
The Wow Factor:
Sleek, sexy instrument!
Overall:
The action is lighter than most concert grands, but still feels very good. Escapement is not a gimmick (as I feared) and overall the feel is amazingly connected to the music. This is the only digital piano that I have played where I could truly lose myself in playing. The feel is very organic and the connection between how I play and the sound is very close to that of an acoustic; something noticeably lacking in other DPs. I play classical music and some of the darker, mellower piano sounds from the V-piano are suited perfectly for the music I play. An amazing instrument, well worth the money. Check reviews online, watch some YouTube videos to get a general feel for this piano, and try one out for yourself if you get a chance. Once you play for 10 minutes or so, you may be hooked as I was.

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"Building the perfect piano"

Sound:
I have experienced the future of pianos. I love the organic feel of real pianos and just gave up a Yamaha GranTouch, which has an unparalleled action but not the best sound, for the V-Piano. Out of the box, the presets are impressive, but the brilliance of modeling is that you can customize every facet of the sound to every extreme. After only two weeks, I have started building my perfect piano, and although it probably will be an ongoing task, I have already achieved a beautiful, full-bodied instrument, with not only the sound, but the feel of hammers, sound board, and a resonance which makes it difficult to stay away from the V-Piano for more than a few minutes. I have heard and seen a number of videos with keyboardists with impressive chops, but seemingly little interest in going beyond the preset sounds, and some of them are pretty cheesy. Is anybody else working on crafting the kind of custom instrument that this keyboard can offer?
Quality:
Okay, this thing is noisy. I played for a few days through headphones, then was horrified when I first played through an external keyboard amp. I thought the notes were fuzzing out, but it was mechanical key noise. Also there is a buzzing vibration coming from the upper mid interior of the keyboard. Back to headphones...
Value:
The perfect piano is worth anything to me... Life is short.
The Wow Factor:
I'm definitely in love, but we haven't been to bed yet.
Overall:
This has to last me for a while.

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